U.S. patent number 6,819,363 [Application Number 09/922,318] was granted by the patent office on 2004-11-16 for video signal processing device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hitachi, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hiroyuki Hori, Eiji Moro, Ken Sodeyama.
United States Patent |
6,819,363 |
Moro , et al. |
November 16, 2004 |
Video signal processing device
Abstract
For horizontal sync information HD suitable for use in image
processing module, e.g., module for TBC features, image compression
recording/playback features, and LCD displaying features, it would
be desirable that the time base fluctuations of the video input
signal is faithfully reflected and that an interpolated HD
generating feature is provided. A module for generating pulses
generates the trailing edges of Csync as the trailing edge HD, and
switches to an interpolated HD when a dropped pulse is detected
after a few microseconds delay in the leading edge relative to the
standard pulse. Thus, the trailing edge HD is selected within a
time base fluctuation on the order of a few microseconds and the
time base fluctuation is faithfully reflected and interpolation
features can also be provided.
Inventors: |
Moro; Eiji (Tokyo,
JP), Sodeyama; Ken (Tokyo, JP), Hori;
Hiroyuki (Tokyo, JP) |
Assignee: |
Hitachi, Ltd. (Tokyo,
JP)
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Family
ID: |
18852263 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/922,318 |
Filed: |
August 2, 2001 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 14, 2000 [JP] |
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2000-384900 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
348/540; 348/497;
375/354; 386/E5.039 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N
5/956 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04N
5/956 (20060101); H04N 5/95 (20060101); H04N
009/50 (); H04L 007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;348/540,525,533,537-538,498,500,521,530,497,431,565,639
;375/354-355 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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03-187068 |
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Aug 1991 |
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JP |
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06-086226 |
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Mar 1994 |
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JP |
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11-196381 |
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Jul 1999 |
|
JP |
|
Primary Examiner: Lee; Michael H.
Assistant Examiner: Natnael; Paulos M
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Townsend and Townsend and Crew
LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A video signal processing device comprising: a sync separator
coupled to receive a video signal and separate a composite sync
signal from the video signal; a pulse generator coupled to receive
a composite sync signal from the sync separator and generate
horizontal sync information; and an image processor coupled to
receive image information contained in the video signal and the
horizontal sync information and performing image processing;
wherein the pulse generator includes a leading edge detector for
detecting leading edges of the composite sync signal and a trailing
edge detector for detecting trailing edges of the composite sync
signal; and the timing for the horizontal sync information is
controlled based on timing of the trailing edges, wherein the pulse
generator further includes a trailing edge reception blocking
circuit allowing reception of trailing edges only in an interval
beginning after the leading edge timing and ending after a time T2
expressed by expression (1) has elapsed from the leading edge
timing and blocking reception at all other times;
2. A video signal processing device comprising: a sync separator
coupled to receive a video signal and separate a composite sync
signal from the video signal; a pulse generator coupled to receive
a composite sync signal from the sync separator and generate
horizontal sync information; and an image processor coupled to
receive image information contained in the video signal and the
horizontal sync information and performing image processing;
wherein the pulse generator includes a leading edge detector for
detecting leading edges of the composite sync signal and a trailing
edge detector for detecting trailing edges of the composite sync
signal; and the timing for the horizontal sync information is
controlled based on timing of the trailing edges. wherein the pulse
generator further includes a leading edge reception blocking
circuit blocking reception of the leading edges until a time T1
expressed in expression (2) has elapsed after the leading edge
timing;
3. A video signal processing device comprising: a sync separator
coupled to receive a video signal and separate a composite sync
signal from the video signal; a pulse generator coupled to receive
a composite sync signal from the sync separator and generate
horizontal sync information; and an image processor coupled to
receive image information contained in the video signal and the
horizontal sync information and performing image processing;
wherein the pulse generator includes a leading edge detector for
detecting leading edges of the composite sync signal and a trailing
edge detector for detecting trailing edges of the composite sync
signal; and the timing for the horizontal sync information is
controlled based on timing of the trailing edges, wherein the pulse
generator further includes a dropped leading edge detector for
generating a dropped leading edge flag when a time T3 indicated in
expression (3) has passed after the leading edge timing; and
further includes an interpolated trailing edge generator for
generating an interpolated trailing edge based on the trailing edge
timing; and an interpolated trailing edge insertion circuit for
receiving the trailing edge and the interpolated trailing edge and
inserting the interpolated trailing edge when the dropped leading
edge flag is generated;
4. A video signal processing device comprising: an A/D converter
having an input coupled to an input of the video signal processing
device, which receives an input video signal, converts the input
video signal, and provides a digital output signal; a clamp circuit
having an input coupled to an output of the A/D converter, which
receives the digital output signal, and generates a clamped digital
output signal; a sync separator having an input coupled to an
output of the clamp circuit, which separates a composite sync
signal from the clamped digital output signal, and generates the
composite sync signal as an output signal; a pulse generator having
an input coupled to an output of the sync separator, which receives
the composite sync signal, generates a horizontal sync information
output signal and a vertical sync information output signal; and an
image processor having a first input coupled to an output of the
damn circuit and a second input coupled to an output of the pulse
generator, which processes the clamped digital output signal and
the horizontal sync information output signal, wherein the pulse
generator further comprises; a leading edge detector having an
input coupled to the input of the pulse generator, which receives
the composite sync signal, detects leading edges of the composite
sync signal, and generates an equalizing pulse leading edge output
signal; a leading edge reception gate generator which generates an
leading edge reception gate output signal; a first AND gate having
a first input coupled to an output of the leading edge detector and
a second input coupled to an output of the leading edge reception
gate generator, which generates a first ANDed output signal,
wherein the equalizing pulse leading edge output signal is blocked
when the leading edge reception gate output signal is at a low
condition; a first counter incremented by a system clock wherein an
input of the first counter is coupled to an output of the first AND
gate, the first counter is reset to zero when the first ANDed
output signal is sent as a reset signal, the leading edge reception
gate output signal is set to low when the first counter is zero to
a time that is greater than one-half of a horizontal scan period; a
trailing edge detector having an input coupled to the input of the
pulse generator, which receives the composite sync signal, detects
trailing edges of the composite sync signal, and generates an
equalizing pulse trailing edge output signal; a trailing edge
reception gate generator having an input couple to an output of the
first counter, which generates an output signal; a second AND gate
having a first input coupled to the output of the trailing edge
detector and a second input coupled to an output of the trailing
edge reception generator, the second AND gate generating a second
ANDed output signal, wherein the output signal of the trailing edge
reception gate generator is blocked when the first counter is at a
time greater than a horizontal sync signal width of the video
signal, but less than one-half of the horizontal scan period; and a
Vsync detector having an input coupled to the input of the pulse
generator, which receives the composite sync signal, provides the
vertical sync information output signal to an input of a
terminal.
5. A video signal processing device according to claim 4, wherein
the pulse generator further comprises: a second counter having an
input coupled to an output of the second AND gate, which is
incremented by the system clock, wherein the second counter is
reset by the second ANDed output signal; a dropped leading edge
flag generator having an input coupled to an output of the first
counter, which generates a dropped leading edge flag when an output
signal from the first counter is at a time T3 as indicated by an
expression, 1H<T3<1H+Thsync, where H is a horizontal scan
period; an interpolated generator having an input coupled to an
output of the second counter, which generates an interpolated
signal when the second counter is at zero; and a switch having a
first input coupled to an output of the second AND gate, a second
input coupled to an output of the interpolated generator, and a
third input couple to an output of the dropped leading edge flag
generator, wherein the switch provides the interpolated signal as a
switch output when the switch receives the dropped leading edge
flag as a signal in the third input coupling.
6. A video signal processing device according to claim 5, wherein
the switch provides the second ANDed output signal as the switch
output when the dropped leading edge flag is not received in the
third input coupling.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Time base correction (hereinafter referred to as TBC) in which
information is written to memory is a type of technology where
horizontal sync information generated from a sync signal in a video
signal is used to process images from a video signal.
One example of this technology is presented in Japanese patent
number 2844765 ("Video signal playback device").
FIG. 2 from this patent shows a block diagram of a TBC
architecture. The output from a sync separator 33 (indicated in the
figure as SYNC SEPA 33) is sent to a timing GEN 35 by way of a PLL
34. A write clock WCK and a write reset pulse WRES, generated by
the timing GEN, provide control for write operations to buffer
memories 40, 46. There is no description, however, of the sync
separator 33 and how the HD signal is generated from the separated
composite sync signal.
The basic principle behind the TBC technology described above is as
follows. A video input signal containing time base fluctuations is
written to memory with a sync signal containing similar time base
fluctuations serving as a write trigger. Reading from memory is
started using a stable read trigger. For TBC technology involving
line memory, the composite sync signal is generally separated from
the video input signal and the horizontal sync information HD from
which equalizing pulses have been removed is used as the write
trigger.
One aspect of improving TBC performance is generating the HD signal
so that it faithfully preserves the time base fluctuations of the
video input signal. If this is not done effectively, the
inconsistencies between the two time base fluctuations will lead to
time base fluctuations in the TBC output signal.
Another aspect of improving TBC performance is generating HD
interpolation information when there is a dropped sync signal in
the video input signal. Without this feature, writes to memory will
stop during the corresponding interval, and the image display
position of the subsequent TBC output will be shifted upward on the
screen.
One method for generating an interpolated HD signal when there is a
dropped sync signal involves using PLL technology. A detailed
description of PLL technology will be omitted since it is a widely
known technology. By using a high PLL time constant setting, an
interpolated HD can be generated even if there is some degree of
sync dropping. However, if skew is present in the video input
signal, the time constant will aggravate the problem. Immediate
tracking of the skew in the video signal will be prevented, and the
PLL-generated HD signal will indicate the tracking characteristics
at the time constant described above. This tracking delay will
obstruct generation of an HD that faithfully preserves the time
base fluctuations contained in the video input signal, resulting in
skewing in the TBC output image.
The object of the present invention is to provide means for
generating HD pulses suited for image processing using HD pulses,
e.g., TBC memory writing operations. Another object of the present
invention is to provide a video signal processing device equipped
with the same.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a video signal processing device
including means for processing images writing image information
from a video signal to a digital storage medium, means for
converting data converting the image information to a predetermined
format, or means for display control displaying the image
information, and the like. More specifically, the present invention
relates to a video signal processing device performing at least
part of the processing of image processing means described above
using horizontal sync information (hereinafter referred to as HD)
generated from a sync signal of the video signal.
The video signal processing device of the present invention
includes: means for separating a composite sync signal from a video
input signal; means for generating pulses receiving the composite
sync signal from sync separating means and generating a horizontal
sync information HD; and means for processing images receiving
image information contained in the first video signal and the HD
information and performing image processing.
Furthermore, pulse generating means includes means for detecting
leading edges of the composite sync signal and means for detecting
trailing edges. Timing for the HD information is controlled based
on the timing of trailing edges.
The present invention provides pulse generating means generating
horizontal sync information HD suited for serving as part of image
processing means such as means for providing TBC functions, image
compression recording/playback functions, and LCD display
functions. The present invention also provides a video signal
processing device containing the same.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
A block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2
A block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3
A block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4
A block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5
A block diagram of a pulse generator 5 according to an embodiment
of the present invention.
FIG. 6
A timing chart for HD pulse generation by a pulse generator 5
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following is a description of the embodiments of the present
invention.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the present
invention for implementing a TBC function. A video signal received
by way of a terminal 1 is converted into a digital signal by an AID
converter 2. The signal passes through a clamp circuit 3 and is
sent to a line memory 6 and a sync separator 4. A composite sync
signal Csync is output as the separated sync signal from the sync
separator 4. A pulse generator 5 generates horizontal sync
information HD and vertical sync information VD based on Csync. A
write control circuit 7 receives HD, which contains the same time
base fluctuations as the input signal, and uses HD as a trigger to
generate write addresses for a horizontal scan period (hereinafter
referred to as 1 line). As a result, the writing of the video
signal to the line memory 6 is performed one line at a time with HD
serving as a trigger.
The sync generator 9 counts the system clock and generates standard
vertical sync information SVD and standard horizontal sync
information SHD, roughly matching the period of a standard signal.
The read control circuit 8 receives SHD and SVD and generates read
addresses with matching horizontal and vertical syncs. As a result,
the video signal read from the line memory 6 has a period similar
to that of a standard signal, i.e., time base fluctuations are
eliminated from the video signal. Also, the sync generator receives
VD and keeps the phase difference between SVD and VD within a
desired range so that disruption of the memory 6 is avoided.
Synchronization is added to the video signal output from the memory
6 by a sync adding circuit 10 based on the timing provided by the
sync generator 9. The signal is then converted to an analog signal
by a D/A converter 11 and output through a terminal 12.
FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the pulse generator 5 described
above. FIG. 6 shows a timing chart for the HD signal from the pulse
generator 5. A Csync signal (a) received from a terminal 23 is sent
to a leading edge detector 24, a trailing edge detector 30, and a
Vsync detector 36.
An output signal (b) from the leading edge detector 24 and an
output signal (e) from a leading edge receiving gate generator 26
are sent to an AND gate 27, which outputs a signal (c). The
equalizing pulse leading edge contained in the signal (b) is
blocked since it is ANDed when the signal (e) is low. Thus, in the
signal (c), the equalizing pulse is eliminated. The leading edge
receiving gate generator 26 generates a leading edge receiving gate
signal (e) by outputting a high or low signal within a
predetermined count value interval. A counter 25 is incremented by
the system clock 80 and is reset to zero when the signal (c) is
sent as a reset signal. The signal (e) turns low in an interval T1
from when the output from the counter 25 is zero to when it reaches
a predetermined value P1. When the count is at or above the
predetermined value P1, the signal becomes high. The leading edge
of the equalizing pulse can be eliminated by setting the interval
T1 to at least 0.5 H.
An output signal (f) from the trailing edge detector 30 and an
output signal (g) from a trailing edge detection gate generator 28
are sent to an AND gate 31, which outputs a signal (h). The
equalizing pulse trailing edge is blocked since it is ANDed with
the signal (g) when it is low. Thus, the equalizing pulse is
eliminated from the signal (h). The trailing edge receiving gate
generator 28 is high or low during a predetermined count interval
from the counter 25, thus generating the trailing edge receiving
gate signal (g). The signal (g) is high during an interval T2
between when the output from the counter 25 is zero until it
reaches a predetermined value P2, and is low when the count is at
the predetermined value P2 or higher. By setting the interval T2 to
be a larger value than a horizontal sync signal width Thsync in the
Csync signal, the trailing edge signal (f) can be received.
However, if T2 is greater than 0.5 H, the equalizing pulse trailing
edge can be received as well, so it would be desirable to have T2
set to a value smaller than 0.5 H. In FIG. 6, the signal (g) is
shown as being activated when the output from the counter 25 is
zero, but this activation can be delayed by a few microseconds.
More specifically, since the gate should be opened before the
trailing edge signal (f), the delay can be within a range of less
than Thsync.
The counter 33 incremented by the system clock 80 as well, and is
reset to zero when a reset from the signal (h) is received. The
counter 33 is set up to loop automatically at a period of 1 H and,
when the counter 33 is zero, an interpolated HD1 generator 34
outputs an interpolated HD signal (j). A switch 32 receives the
signal (h) from a first input terminal and the signal (j) from a
second input terminal. The switch 32 outputs one or the other input
as a signal (in). In the switching performed by switch 32, the
second input terminal is selected for output when a dropped leading
edge flag signal (k) output from a dropped leading edge flag
generator 29 is high, i.e., when a leading edge is missing.
Otherwise, the signal from the first input terminal is output. The
signal (m) is output from a terminal 35 as a horizontal sync
information HD.
The dropped leading edge flag generator 29 generates the dropped
leading edge flag signal (k) by outputting high or low during a
predetermined count interval from the counter 25.
The signal (k) is low during an interval T3 from when the counter
25 is zero until it reaches a value P3, and is high when the count
is at or above the predetermined value P3. The interval T3 is set
to be in the following range: 1 H<T3<1 H+Thsync. By setting
T3 to be greater than 1 H, dropped leading edges can be detected.
By setting T3 to be less than 1 H+Thsync, the dropped leading edge
flag signal (k) is activated before the interpolated HD, thus
providing suitable interpolation switching for the switch 32. If,
for example, T3=1 H+1 microsecond, the interpolated HD for the
signal (j) will be selected if the horizontal scan period is
greater than 1 H+1 microsecond, but the signal (h) will be selected
if the horizontal scan period is less than 1 H+1 microsecond. In
other words, when the horizontal scan period is longer within a 1
microsecond offset, an HD can be generated that faithfully
preserves the time base fluctuations. For example, when the TBC
technology described above is used on a standard video playback
signal from a household VCR, the fluctuation in the horizontal scan
period is usually 1 microsecond or less, so the time-base
fluctuations can be faithfully preserved in the HD, thus providing
good TBC features.
The Vsync detector 36 detects the Vsync information VD from the
Csync signal (a) and outputs it through a terminal 37.
As described above, the horizontal sync information HD1 generated
by the pulse generator 5 faithfully preserves time base
fluctuations and also provides interpolation in the event of a
dropped sync. Furthermore, equalizing pulses are removed. This
makes it suitable for the TBC structure shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of another embodiment of the present
invention different from the one shown in FIG. 1. This embodiment
implements an image compression recording/playback feature. The
following is a description of differences with the embodiment from
FIG. 1. The video signal output from the clamp circuit 3 is
converted by a data converter 14 into a data format such as one
that conforms to ITU-R BT.656. A sync embedding control circuit 15
uses HD and VD output from the pulse generator 5 as timing
information to control the embedding of sync signals for the data
converter 14. The output from the data converter 14 is compressed
using an MPEG2 encoder 16, and is stored in a storage circuit 18 as
compressed data. During playback, the compressed data from the
storage circuit 18 is decoded by an MPEG2 decoder 17, converted to
analog by a D/A converter 11, and output from a terminal 12. In the
image compression recording/playback feature in FIG. 2, the
characteristics desired for HD are the same as those for the system
in FIG. 1, and the characteristics of the pulse generator 5 are as
described above.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention
different from the ones shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. As with FIG. 2,
an image compression recording/playback feature is implemented. In
FIG. 3, a data converter 19 does not perform sync embedding and
sends the HD and VD signals, output from the pulse generator 5, to
the MPEG2 encoder 16.
The difference of this system from the ones from FIG. 2 and FIG. 3
is in the specifications for the input received by the MPEG2
encoder 16. In practice, the MPEG2 encoder provides an LSI
implementation for the data format used in FIG. 2 with embedded
sync information and/or the format used in FIG. 3 in which the sync
information and the signal data are received as separate inputs. As
with the system in FIG. 2, the system in FIG. 3 uses the same
characteristics as the pulse generator described above.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention
different from the ones shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. The
embodiment implements an LCD screen display. The following is a
description of how this embodiment differs from the one in FIG.
3.
In FIG. 4, the output from a data converter 20 is output along with
HD and VD from the pulse generator 5 to an LCD controller 21. A
control signal from the LCD controller 21 is used to provide scan
control for an LCD 22. In the LCD display feature in FIG. 4, the
characteristics of the sync information HD are the same as those
from the system in FIG. 1, and the characteristics of the pulse
generator 5 are as described above.
* * * * *